Description

This ten-panel folding screen depicts seasonal farming activities. The first panel (far right) shows farmers in a rice field plowing to loosen the soil before planting seeds. The final two panels (far left) portray the abundant harvest of fall and the restorative retreat of winter. Such ordinary scenes depict farmers’ peaceful and idyllic everyday lives. However, during the late 1800s—when this screen was created—Korean farmers lived far from such a utopian world. Peasants across the country organized rebellions to challenge the feudalist socioeconomic system and prevalent government corruption. In 1893 alone, at least 65 rebellions occurred in 55 regions.